


The Beautiful Game

by Fortissimo_ssb



Category: RWBY, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Crossover, F/F, too many characters to tag them all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:40:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28476297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fortissimo_ssb/pseuds/Fortissimo_ssb
Summary: Adora is one of the brightest young players in the world, making a big-money move halfway through her first season. Catra is brushed off as a ball-hog and stuck on the bench until Adora's departure gives her a chance to get into the team. They become the two best players in the world and square off in the Etherian Premier League, creating the greatest football rivalry of all time.Meanwhile, in the Remnant Super League, Beacon United begins their rise back up the ranks as a global footballing superpower, led by an inspired group of young players living their dreams.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra), Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Kudos: 3





	The Beautiful Game

**Author's Note:**

> I played soccer for 14 years and I need this au to be a thing. This is my first time starting a multi-chapter fic, so here's hoping I can actually finish it! Btw, yes, I am American, yes, I'm calling it football. I'll do my best to make footballing terminology make sense in context to those unfamiliar with it, but later on I may have to add footnotes or a link to a glossary or something since it's very likely I'm in the minority on this platform who actually watches sports.

“Alright, it’s time to start drills! Get warmed up and stretched out!”

Thirty or so footballers abruptly ended their conversations and started jogging around the practice field, some scrambling to their feet to join the rest of the group. It was a hot, muggy day in early August and the players were sweating within a matter of minutes, but no one dared complain. Some whispered excitedly to each other, others groaned as quietly as possible so as not to draw their coach’s attention. They started with a basic passing drill before moving on to a possession game, then a crossing and shooting drill, and finally a scrimmage to cap off the first full practice of the season. Two figures stood at the top of the short set of stands to observe the scrimmage. 

“Quite an interesting team we have this year. It’s encouraging to see this young talent developing so well,” said a lithe man with pale skin and black hair. His colleague hummed in agreement.

“Yes, there are several academy products who could cement their places in this team this season,” said a tall woman with long, tentacle-like black hair. She had an eyepatch over her left eye and cloth covering her mouth and nose.

“You have trained them well.”

“Thank you, sir. I must say I am particularly proud of the young lady with the blond ponytail playing up front for the green team.”

“She has been impressive, I must admit. What is her name?”

_____

“Adora!! You have to defend on corners!”

“Right! Sorry, forgot!” the blonde apologized hastily and hurried back to her team’s penalty box, taking her position at the near post as the player from the other team taking the cross raised his hand to signal that he was about to take the corner kick. 

“Yeah, Adora, get back and defend!” A familiar voice from behind her taunted.

“Shut up, Catra,” Adora huffed without looking. She knew full well you had to twist Catra’s arm to get her to defend. The thumping sound of the ball being kicked forced her to refocus and prepare for the incoming cross. Her eyes were locked onto the ball as it arced through the air and she leaped straight up to try and get her head to the ball and clear it, but it ended up going well over her head. 

She turned as she landed and saw one of her teammates head the ball away from goal. The attempted clearance fell at Catra’s feet, but before she could get it fully under control, a muscular girl with brown cornrows dispossessed her. Seeing this as an opportunity for a counterattack, Adora began sprinting down field. A couple quick passes and a well-timed run and Adora had the ball at her feet staring down the opposing goalkeeper. The goalie moved up to narrow the shooting angle for the striker, but Adora managed to hit the ball with the inside of her right foot past the keeper’s outstretched arms and into the net.

Adora whooped quietly to herself with a subdued fist-pump as she began walking back towards midfield for the restart. After some quick high-fives and cheers from her teammates, she glanced across the field and caught a pair of mismatched eyes. They looked away with a scowl and Adora smirked triumphantly. 

As soon as the whistle blew, Catra demanded the ball from her teammate. When she got it, she ran straight at the opposing defence, ignoring any chances to pass and dribbling past four defenders. Adora watched in awe as the brunette weaved her way determinedly into the box, the ball appearing glued to her feet, before firing a low shot with her left foot into the opposite corner that left the goalie flat-footed. Immediately, she shot Adora the smuggest grin, fangs sticking out the corner of her mouth, wild hair sticking out in every direction. Adora let out an exasperated sigh as everyone made their way back to their respective sides of the field. 

The scrimmage ended in a draw, with Catra and Adora each getting two goals by the end. Her teammates had lots of praise for Adora as they cooled down before heading to the dressing room, and the striker felt her chest swell a little from it. As they made their way inside, however, Adora overheard some whispering, “I’m lucky I had Adora as my teammate instead of Catra!” “Dude, she’s the worst. All she does is scream for the ball and try to dribble through everybody.” “She’s a horrible teammate.”

Adora sighed and shook her head, trying not to worry about her best friend. She took a long swig from her water bottle and when she lowered it, Catra was standing in front of her, right hand resting on her hip. “Hey, Adora.” 

“Hey! You heading back?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Not yet, I’m gonna practice my free kicks a bit.” Catra rolled her eyes.

“Practice as much as you want, I’ll still be better at them than you.”

“Not if you don’t ever practice!”

“Whatever.” Catra plopped herself down on the bench with her feet wide apart and pulled out her phone. Adora gave her a look as she set up the practice wall.

“You’re not leaving?”

“Nah, I’ll just chill for a bit while you do your thing.”

“Oh, ok.” Adora shrugged and began placing the ball carefully so she could hit it in just the right spot.

“Besides, if I showed up at home without you, Weaver would interrogate me thoroughly until you got home.”

“Just tell her what I’m doing.”

“She wouldn’t believe me.”

“Why wouldn’t she?” Catra stared at her for a second before rolling her eyes and grumbling to herself, turning back to her phone. Adora stared back, confused. Did she say something wrong? 

The center forward turned her attention back to the ball and the plastic ‘defenders’ simulating a wall defenders will set up on free kicks by standing shoulder-to-shoulder ten yards away from the ball to protect the goal from a long-range shot. It was still possible to score though, as long as you put enough power and swerve in the shot, but it was quite a difficult technique and took lots of practice. Adora looked past the wall at the goal and picked her spot, took exactly three steps back from the ball and one and a half to the left, looked back at the wall and the goal, took three short strides before stretching out her plant foot and swinging her right foot to strike the ball just to the left of her laces. The ball cleared the wall, but also cleared the frame of the goal by about a foot. 

‘Okay, just gotta hook it a little more,’ she thought to herself before getting another ball to try another shot. Her second try clipped the top of the fake wall, taking all the power out of the shot. Her third attempt somehow hooked the ball even more and smacked a fake defender right in the face. 

Adora let out a frustrated huff, but quickly recomposed herself and lined up her shot again. Her next shot hit the corner of the goal frame squarely, causing the blonde to groan softly at her near-miss. She took several more shots, so many that she lost count of how many she had taken, but was unable to recreate her shot that rattled the post. A couple went in, but they didn’t have enough power, thus allowing any keeper to easily make the save.

Adora paused in her rapid-fire repetitions to take a moment and think. What had she done that one time to strike the ball that cleanly? She stared at the ball, trying to remember the exact spot she had kicked it.

While she was staring, someone else’s foot struck the ball without warning and Adora looked up to see her best friend watching the flight of the ball with a smirk. Adora followed her gaze and of course her shot went in. Off the inside of the post, too, pretty much ensuring no goalie would be able to save it. 

Adora looked back with a scowl. “Catra! What was that for?”

Catra just grinned, letting her teeth stick out again, her mismatched eyes twinkling with mirth. “You were taking forever. Besides, it’s getting dark. We should head home.”

Adora sighed, frustrated, but admitting defeat. “Yeah, you’re right.” They headed off the pitch and into the dressing room to change back into street clothes. The effects of three hours of non-stop football started to make themselves noticed and Adora winced as she lowered herself onto a bench and lifted her arms over her head to peel her sweaty crimson top off. 

Catra seemed to be feeling them too as she stretched her arms over her head and audibly cracked her neck. Adora began removing her shin pads when she heard Catra snicker from behind her.

"Looks like I'm still the best free-kick taker on the team. Sorry, Adora."

"Oh, please, it was the first day of practice. We don't even know if we'll get to play at all this season."

"That doesn't change that I'm the best."

Adora was about to retort but the cold voice of an older woman cut her off.

"Perhaps if you weren't so selfish, Catra, your claim would have some merit."

Catra's entire body stiffened as the assistant coach of Horde FC strode into the dressing room, her one visible eye cutting a deep glare. Adora stood up quickly.

"Sharon! We were just about to head home, I stayed late to--"

"Adora, please call me Coach Weaver, I don't want to ask you again."

"Right! Sorry, Coach Weaver. I was just saying we were late because I was doing some extra practice."

"Ah, of course, Adora. You may have the most admirable work ethic on the entire team. Even more admirable considering your preferred company."

Weaver glanced in Catra's direction and the brunette looked away and crossed her arms. The taller woman placed a bony hand on the blonde teenager's shoulder. 

"Walk with me, Adora. Catra, go straight home."

Catra scoffed before walking briskly out the door. Adora watched her leave before being pulled away.

Adora and Weaver walked in silence for a few minutes, Adora scratching her neck uncomfortably. The suspense was killing her. Whatever Weaver had to talk to her about, she wished she would just tell her already. On the other hand, if whatever it was was bad, Adora would probably want to curl up in a ball and never be seen by anyone again. 

"Adora."

The blonde nearly jumped out of her skin. "Yes! Yes?"

"You are the brightest talent to come out of Horde FC's academy in years. Your athletic talents, work ethic, and goal-scoring instincts are world-class. You've worked harder than anyone on this team to get here and it's about to pay off. I'm recommending Hordak place you in the starting lineup."

Adora's eyes bulged and she stopped walking. "S-starting? Like, for league matches?" Part of her believed that voicing those hopes would cause Weaver to laugh and reveal it was all a prank and she would be relegated to coming off the bench for five minutes against lower league teams in pointless cup competitions and her stomach dropped. 

"Yes, you will be starting for our first Etherian Premier League match in two weeks' time wearing the Number 9 shirt."

Adora gaped for a few seconds before remembering how to speak. 

"Th-thank you so much! I'll make the most of the opportunity."

"I know you will. Now, go home and get some rest, you'll need it. I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Wait, what about the rest of my academy class? Catra's good enough to start too and Lonnie and Rogelio are doing well."

“Well, if Catra ever realizes that football is a team sport, then maybe she'll earn a chance to prove herself to me. As for the rest of your class, they are simply not at a high enough level to warrant Hordak putting them in the starting eleven. You, on the other hand, are ready. And I know you won't let me down."

Weaver placed her hand on Adora's shoulder again and the striker felt a shudder go down her spine at the implicated weight on her shoulders. She clenched and unclenched her fists and took a deep breath. 

"I won't, Coach Weaver."

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a note if you played soccer too!


End file.
